Which branch of the military should I join?

Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 00:34:29 -0500

I am an engineering student at a university with all four branches represented in ROTC. I've always known that I was going to join the military but now i'm torn on which way to go. The three services that I am considering are the Marines, the Army, or the Navy. I want to know which service has the best chance of being deployed on both combat or humanitarian missions. Which one has the best discipline and which one has the most room for advancement. It would also be nice to know what do you do and do you enjoy doing it? Thanks in advance to anyone who answers.

Response by SMSgt Thor Merich made Jan 18 at 2016 12:53 AM

SMSgt Thor Merich — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 00:53:54 -0500

Why are you discounting the Air Force? I started out in the Army and moved to the AF. As far as being deployed, the AF has actively been at war since 1991 (the first Gulf War) as we never left Iraq after that war.
Picking which service depends on what you want to do in the military? Since you have are an Engineering student, is that what you want to do? AF REDHORSE and CE units deploy all over the world for both military and humanitarian reasons.

Also, do you want to be enlisted or officer?

You are on the right path though, talk to as many folks as you can before you make your decision.

Response by Maj William Gambrell made Jan 18 at 2016 1:00 AM

Maj William Gambrell — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 01:00:27 -0500

If I had to do it again, I would have joined the Marines.

Response by PO1 Matthew Murdock made Jan 18 at 2016 1:05 AM

PO1 Matthew Murdock — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 01:05:04 -0500

Join whatever branch has the program and lifestyle you want.

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 18 at 2016 1:09 AM

Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 01:09:21 -0500

I suppose it depends on what you want to do. All four services deploy all over the world for various crisis in various capacities. As for advancement, that is almost an impossible question to answer, as those metrics change all of the time. It depends on the needs of whatever service is at the moment and what career field you are in as well as specific metrics that each service has for promotion. Also you are more likely to excel in a career field that you really want to be in. I have seen some people chose career paths for the advancement opportunities, but when they got there, they hated their jobs and did not really excel, so keep that in mind.

What you should do is talk to each of the ROTC unit admissions officers and find out which jobs appeal to you the most and meet whatever goals you have. You might find the job you want may not be in the service you envision.

From the sounds of your engineering pursuits, you might look at the Army Engineer's branch or the Air Force Civil Engineering career field. They deploy all the time for humanitarian missions.

Response by PO1 Kerry French made Jan 18 at 2016 3:11 AM

PO1 Kerry French — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 03:11:41 -0500

If you want to do what you studied for... I would suggest either the Seabees or the US Army Corps of Engineers. Don't let the Navy lie to you and tell you to be a nuke engineer... you WON'T be doing the kind of things you have studied for. Both Seabees or the Army Corps of Engineers have better chances for humanitarian missions... but if that is what you want to do, have you considered the Peace Corps?

Marines have the best discipline and the SPECOPS/SF guys have good discipline but in their own way... room for advancement? Well that I do not know right now... you would have to check CREO groups for Navy stuff... that tells you what is overmanned and what has shortages... other branches, I don't know.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 18 at 2016 3:13 AM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 03:13:29 -0500

Private RallyPoint Member Since I served in the Navy and the Army, served with the Marines (actually, I drove them around), and flew all over in Air Force planes, I strongly urge you to seriously investigate the Coast Guard, from whence I retired. I'll forgive you this one time for not picturing it or mentioning it. But, if you want to receive every benefit you can receive in those OTHER outfits, including rank, pay, medical, retirement, BUT have greater advancement opportunities in a military service with ELEVEN federally-mandated missions versus basically one or two for the others, then give the USCG an honest and thorough look. Fifteen years after I joined the Navy I found a wonderful home and even better family in the Coast Guard. Best thing I ever did, military-related. No matter where you are, I can help open doors with a few phone calls. Ball's in your court, but, please do not overlook the USCG. It has everything you asked for and much, much more.

Response by Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 18 at 2016 3:16 AM

Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 03:16:14 -0500

For a bit more background at the moment i'm in Army ROTC. This is mainly because they offered me a noncommittal slot for the semester due to my major. If I stay with them I have a very high chance of being offered a scholarship slot. I had missed the deadline for the Navy ROTC program application due to not knowing where I was going to college yet. I decided to take the Army slot because they would give me a chance to see if I liked it as well as getting me some extremely solid references if I decide to switch to Navy. My father is a Marine and my grandfather was in the Army Air Corps and then the Air Force. My father is the strongest man I know and I've lived around the Corps my entire life, those two things are what make me lean towards the Marines. The Navy is pretty much just an extension of that along with the fact that I've always loved seeing the ships and the water. The Army is the one that has the most diverse job fields and to be frank its the easiest for me to get into at the moment. I've never liked doing the easy thing just for convenience but in this case i'm trying to make sure I don't discount it just because its the easiest out of the three.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 18 at 2016 3:32 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 03:32:29 -0500

If I had asked this question in 1996 (when I decided to go to West Point), I'm certain the answers I would have received would have in no way predicted what each Service would have been doing over the next 20 years. No one has any clue what next year or the next few years look like, nor does anyone have any clue what each Service will be doing and will look like in 5 or 10 or 15 years. There are just too many variables. Here are my thoughts on the questions you’ve asked:

Which Service has the best chance of being deployed? This is the wrong question. If deploying overseas is one of your major goals in life, the military isn’t a bad option. However, if you really want to spend most of your life overseas, you should look at other options, too. Bluntly, the vast majority of the military is based and remains in the United States. Other options--say, becoming a Foreign Service Officer for the Department of State, joining the Peace Corps--almost guarantee service overseas. With the military, its more of a crapshoot. For example, you can still find--after 15 years of consistent conflict--a large number of people in the U.S. military who have never left the continental United States, who have never deployed, etc. Some of this is on the individual; some of it is just random chance and bad (or good) luck (depending on your perspective). A better question to ask is: What career fields across the Services have the best chance of deploying and being stationed overseas? I can’t really speak for the other Services, but for the Army, I would guess that for career fields open to newly commissioned officers, all of them have about the same chance. Its not until at least one becomes a senior 1LT that one can branch out into career fields with larger chances--like SF and Civil Affairs. And its not until one is a senior captain (or so) that one can volunteer for career fields (say, Foreign Area Officer) where the majority of jobs are overseas. But again, even this question is the wrong question to ask, as none of the Services really care about what you want to do or your desires. In almost all pre-commissioning programs, you will be assigned a career field based on where you are on the order-of-merit list. If you’re near the top, you’ll likely get your choice. If you’re in the middle or at the bottom, the Service will choose for you. Thus, perhaps an even better question to ask is: do I want to serve in the military, regardless of the career field and regardless of the opportunities to serve overseas? If yes, then, for the Army, at least, pick a combat arms branch from which you can volunteer to transition to SF. If everything works out (and this is a big if), you’ll end up in a career field that deploys all the time.

Which Service has the best discipline? I think even Airmen would argue that the Air Force isn’t competitive here, so that leaves the Navy, Army, and Marines. The Marines will always argue they are the most disciplined, without providing any real evidence (as is the Marine Corps tendency--look at their gender integration study as an example). Again, though, this may be the wrong question. In all Services, certain career fields are “more disciplined” than others. You’d need to be able to recognize the difference in what each career field and Service thinks “discipline” means, though. I’d suspect that each Service has components that believe they are the most disciplined. This generally relates to the core functions of that Service. In the Army, the infantry likely thinks it is the most disciplined. Same for the Marines. For the Air Force, pilots. For the Navy, surface warfare officers. This, of course, excludes all of the special operations career fields, which one really can’t join until after serving for a few years.

Which Service has the most room for advancement? Really, all Services are equal, because DOPMA applies to all Services. However, each Service implements DOPMA slightly differently. If your question is “In which Service will I be promoted the quickest?”, the answer is the Air Force. Air Force promotion timelines are currently about two years ahead of the other Services (once you get past the junior officer ranks)---senior majors (those with 15 or 16 years in Service) in the Army are currently subordinate to junior lieutenant colonels in the Air Force (those with 15 or 16 years of Service), simply because the Air Force chooses to promote at a faster rate. Making lieutenant colonel is equivalent to earning tenure; make lieutenant colonel, you can serve up to 28 years. Top out at major, face mandatory separation at 18 years. DOPMA also establishes target promotion rates for each rank. RAND has a good DOPMA site: http://dopma-ropma.rand.org/. Its good to understand DOPMA, as it explains officer career management.

What are you most interested in doing, leading troops or operating equipment? While in all Services officers lead formations, how this is done varies greatly. In the Army, an officer’s core task is to lead troops. Same in the Marines. In the Navy, officers lead troops but also are primary equipment operators. In the Air Force, officers lead, but not until much later in their careers. For example, the first command in the Air Force is at the lieutenant colonel level. In the Army, the first command is at the captain level. The Marines consider their first commands to be at the 2nd LT level (ie, “platoon commander”).

Finally, your undergraduate major is essentially irrelevant for your service in the military, unless you get lucky and branch (or get branched into) a career field that is highly relevant. You say you’re an engineering student; that’s great, but the only really relevant thing you’ll take away from that is the engineering problem-solving method, which is highly relevant for military service. Unless you pursue it and get lucky, the chances of you using your engineering skills in the military are quite slim; even if you branch Engineers, at least early on. The most important thing you can do for an undergraduate degree--for the military, at least--is achieve a high grade point average, so that you can use that to help your chances of getting into a quality masters program later on.

As for me, I’m an Army Foreign Area Officer, but spent my first 8 years as an infantry officer.

DOPMA/ROPMA Reference

This website contains accumulated information about the Defense Officer Personnel Management Act (DOPMA) and Reserve Officer Personnel Management Act (ROPMA) policies and practices.

Response by PO3 Andrew Unite made Jan 18 at 2016 4:06 AM

PO3 Andrew Unite — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 04:06:54 -0500

Don't join. Better options out there as others have stated

Response by PO2 Steven Erickson made Jan 18 at 2016 4:42 AM

PO2 Steven Erickson — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 04:42:21 -0500

Disclaimers:
1. I'm not an officer
2. I was Navy (still am, I guess)
3. I was a nuke on subs.

The technical knowledge and skills you will learn as a Navy Nuclear program student are unmatched by any other service. Hands down. Your training will take at least 18 months of book and hands-on learning. And then you'll get MORE in the fleet.

If you don't volunteer for subs, you are GUARANTEED to deploy to exotic (and dangerous) places... a LOT. There's a reason they say "Join the Navy... See the World". Submarines? Not so much...

You will be leading some of the most intelligent (and independent) men and women in uniform operating the most complicated engineering marvel man has ever created.

If you go subs (and are one of the best of the best of the best), you can be in command of one of the most powerful and adaptable weapon platforms on earth as a CDR (O-5).

When (if) you get out, you have a 98% chance of a civilian career making a 6-figure salary within 3-4 years.

If you "are" an engineer (rather than just an engineering student), you will get this last point... You get to push the most powerful warships ever built by man as you wrest control of one of the fundamental building blocks of the universe itself... and get paid to do it!!! Mwah ha ha ha!!!!

(I could do SO MUCH MORE if I only had minions... which, as an officer... YOU WILL!!! MWAH HA HA HA HA!!!!)

Remember, Leon, I admitted my bias in the beginning.

Response by SMSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 18 at 2016 5:43 AM

SMSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 05:43:04 -0500

Every service will deploy you. Good leadership in stills discipline regardless of branch. Advancement is on you and you alone. I am a USAF JOINT TERMINAL ATTACK CONTROLLER and never looked back.

Response by SGT Michael Lee made Jan 18 at 2016 5:52 AM

SGT Michael Lee — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 05:52:17 -0500

Like what Maj Stanton said "It depends on what you want to do". Think about things like where you might want to live/end up? How much do you want to travel? Which is better for your career in the long run? Which is going to benefit more when you decide to get out and back into the civilian world? Like for me I wanted frontline so I chose Infantry! Which is great, but not to many options later on down the road. That's why I went straight to school as soon as I got out, hell I was enrolled before I got out. That way all I had to to is pack a few things and start my new job as a student. Good lick on your choices Leon, and do what feels right!

Response by SMSgt Tony Barnes made Jan 18 at 2016 9:34 AM

SMSgt Tony Barnes — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 09:34:57 -0500

I started out in the Marines...but crossed into the Air Force once I saw how family unfriendly the Marine Corp was.

Response by CPO Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 18 at 2016 9:41 AM

CPO Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 09:41:12 -0500

If you are looking into Civil Engineering. I suggest Navy CEC Corps. I am a Retired Navy Seabee CPO 2013. Was on 4 Humanitarian Missions and 4 combat support missions one IA with Army Corps in Iraq out my 24 years. They are working all over Africa and PI. Conduct missions down in South and Central America. As a CEC officer you will do all sorts of jobs in contacting oversight and in PW's it just depends on what route you take. You can also go US State Dept. and CSST support for NSW again it is how you approach thing's when in..

Response by SrA Karla Kiser made Jan 18 at 2016 10:22 AM

SrA Karla Kiser — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 10:22:07 -0500

Like others have said, he really depends on what you're looking to do. What is your reasoning for joining? Education, travel, combat...etc? This will definitely steer you in a particular direction. Once you figure out your sole reasoning for wanting to join, figure out which service best fits your goals in life. Do you want to pursue an education right off or maybe you want to deploy a lot. Even though each service offers you education, some services and their AFSC/MOS' can make it a little more difficult to do if you're gone a lot. It really comes down to what type of job do you want to do and which service fits you best (personality and so on). We all can tell you how great each service is and our reasonings but you need to figure that out on your own. :). Wish you the best in your decision and thank you for even considering joining, we all appreciate you!

Response by SSgt Dan Montague made Jan 18 at 2016 10:23 AM

SSgt Dan Montague — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 10:23:46 -0500

Leon,
First of all I commend you on wanting to serve for your country. Reading what you wrote I think you should ask yourself a question first. Do you want to pursue an MOS that is related to what you are studying? If so, I would say the Marines are not the branch for you. Now if you are looking for discipline, humanitarian missions and combat, that is our job. The Navy and Marines handle a lot of humanitarian missions. because we deploy aboard ships it is easy to get to a location with tons of supplies to assist in the wake of a disaster or assist a small village in rebuilding a school or homes. 5 of my 6 deployments were aboard a ship. we are highly trained to do any mission we may be tasked with. With the assistance of the Navy we can float or fly ashore to help a country destroyed by an earthquake, help rebuild a school, protect and reenforce a US embassy, non lethal riot control or load out for a combat mission. I have done all the above. Now, the deployments and combat will differ depending on your MOS. I was in artillery so when the grunts deployed so did we.
As for advancement, that is hard to say. Some MOS promote faster than others. You would most likely be an officer. I am not sure how they promote. Hopefully a Marine office may be able to chme in on that.
Good luck, hopefully I didn't come off to much like a recruiter.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 18 at 2016 10:49 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 10:49:36 -0500

The Marine Corps tends to be the "fire brigade" that gets the first call for humanitarian and shorter conflicts. Most would agree that it is the most disciplined branch.
As far as deployment opportunities and career advancement, few would dispute that that is in the Army. It is by far the largest branch of service and has clear paths for promotion so long as you stay on track with your military education. The deployments tend to be of the more long-term missions variety, but expeditionary missions are plentiful too.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 18 at 2016 11:11 AM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 11:11:36 -0500

I find that I've never met an aviator who didn't love their job, and the Marines give guaranteed aviation contracts to midshipmen at the end of their second hear of ROTC. Marine Corps aviation would provide all the things you're looking for, and having an engineering degree would make you eligible for Naval Test Pilot School. Good luck.

Response by PO3 Ida Washington made Jan 18 at 2016 11:19 AM

PO3 Ida Washington — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 11:19:07 -0500

Well in my opinion it's all up to you. I wanted to join the Marines but my father was against it. Not too sure why. Everyone in my family is basically Army so I decided to be different and joined the Navy. The military is what you make of it. At first believe me all I said I was going to do was my four years and leave. My father pushed me to stay which I did. I loved it. I just chose the wrong MOS in my opinion. But other than that if I was to asked to do it again I sure would in a heart beat. My oldest son just joined the Navy. My twin #2 wants to join the Army. Like everyone is saying talk to the recruiters of the branches you have in mind. See which one would benefit you in what you are looking for. I wish you the very best of luck in which ever branch you join and I thank you for choosing to serve your country. Good luck to you.

Response by MCPO Roger Collins made Jan 18 at 2016 11:39 AM

MCPO Roger Collins — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 11:39:20 -0500

You are asking that question on a Navy based area of RP. Its obvious that you should join the AF.

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Jan 18 at 2016 11:51 AM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 11:51:35 -0500

For travel? Navy. For education? Air Force. For bragging rights? Marines. For a good quality of life without having to shamefully say you're in the Air Force? The Army ;)

Response by SrA Jonathan Carbonaro made Jan 18 at 2016 12:03 PM

SrA Jonathan Carbonaro — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 12:03:04 -0500

Why is this allowed on Rally point? I thought rallypoint was for currently serving, veterans, retiree's, and VIP civilians. I get having Cadets on here, that have already made the commitment. But whats going to stop rally point being another facebook, except with ranks by the name?

Response by LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow made Jan 18 at 2016 12:23 PM

LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 12:23:56 -0500

You have to decide your career goals, but as an Engineering student, I would suggest one of the following:
1) Navy Nuclear Power
2) Combat Engineers (Seabees, Army CE, etc..)
3) Civil Engineering (Navy, Army, don't know about MC, CG, AF)...
4) Navy Engineering Duty Officer - managing shipyard construction and overhauls...

But you have to decide what you WANT TO DO...

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 18 at 2016 12:42 PM

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 12:42:10 -0500

going officer right??? You might want to look into how officer's life is in each different branch. It may not be as your expectation at all. :)

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Jan 18 at 2016 1:00 PM

LTC Jason Mackay — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 13:00:16 -0500

Private RallyPoint Member what flavor engineer are you? That has a lot to do with your choice, however you need to be braced for being assigned in a career field that has little to do with your academic field. I am a civil engineer, but have been a logistician and an Ordnance Officer for 22 years. I have used civil engineering three times in that career, came in handy as a Garrison Commander. The bachelor's degree is a box check for the commission.

As for the Army, If you are electrical, you may want signal corps. If you are mechanical, possibly Ordnance. If you are civil, you may want Ordnance, Transportation, or Engineers. You will not work in a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers assignment before Captain, likely not until Major. A background with project management will be helpful. Not all civil engineering programs are the same, mine was heavy on structural. If you leaned towards transportation engineering, Transportation branch may be good, especially at the strategic level later in your career. aeronautical engineers could branch aviation and then lean towards aviation maintenance later, may be Acquisition branch later working acquisition/evaluating aircraft. That is niche.

Which ever service you choose, the (advancement) promotion system is largely based on the year you enter. All the officers in that year group compete against each other, one grade at a time. It is all based on federal laws, managed on service regulations and policy. Promotion is tighter in smaller services. But it is all based on your performance against your peers, key and developmental assignments, and selection for competitive based schools (Intermediate level education, war college etc). Doing well in tough jobs will carry you far.

Deployments are relative. The Navy has routine 6 month deployments on board ship organized in task groups. But if you are a career field on the beach, it doesn't work the same. Marines typically deploy 7 months to combat zones as a Marine air ground task force (MEU, MEF, MEB), or deploy as part of a Naval task group on an ocean going deployment. What I have seen from the Airforce is they deploy 4-9 months depending on what the job is. Many deploy as individuals and form an ad hoc unit upon arrival (in the bucket). The Army by in large deploys as a unit at Brigade level, but can go smaller for enablers like logistics, for 9-12 months. This all changes based on urgency, needs of the service and force commitments.

I have ZERO regrets about this choice in my life. I have travelled the world, gotten three degrees, met my wife, served with some of the best people in the world, and served in combat at the crossroads of history. I absolutely have gotten the utmost satisfaction from this career. I am retiring this summer, all good things come to an end.

You have to be prepared for the eventuality that you will not use your degree everyday or at all. But if you are a civilian engineer you have to be prepared to bounce company to company, contract to contract, until you make a name and reputation for yourself. Study hard and get your EIT certification and then go back for the PE regardless of what you do. Regardless of branch, get in top physical shape. All branches have physical standards. Marines are probably have the toughest, then the Army. All branches use the physical challenge to strip off the outer layer to see what you have underneath.

You also have to prepare to lead people. It won't be about you, it is all about your people and the mission. Stuff that is not your fault, will be your fault. If you are wondering whose job it is, it is probably yours.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 18 at 2016 1:38 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 13:38:20 -0500

If you go Army most of youe fun will be over shortly after your Company Command time. The Marines are the most disciplined, I'll give em that. But the navy gives them a very small budget. The Navy and Air force are the most officer driven, meaning they are more in charge of daily operations while Army and Marine NCOs do that. As far as humanitarian missions go it's a toss up between Navy and Army, but the other two do support those operations. I'm sure this is all as clear as mud, good luck.

Response by LCpl Donald Hall made Jan 18 at 2016 4:28 PM

LCpl Donald Hall — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 16:28:16 -0500

Mr.Stark;i am but a 61 yr old e-3/But my advice to( U ) EDUCATION >
Listen to the advice of the E-6 7 8 9's w/r after their names..
Listen to the advice of the 04's and up,LTC Mackay has my vote 4 best but
the list is long for good advice from above blogs,if you can connect w veterans contact Lcol above
Col Burroughs,GySgt Ekblad or any above with distinguish service But i did not
SEE 1 bad blog,the lady Lcdr. had a good one and LT>JG lines 2&3 above
EDUCATION Good luck Young Man!!

Response by Col Kyle Taylor made Jan 18 at 2016 5:13 PM

Col Kyle Taylor — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 17:13:51 -0500

Based on how you present your question, I would suggest the Marines. They will probably soon be back on a normal deployment schedule where they will either head to support the 5th or 6th Fleet (east coast Marines) or over to the Pacific (west coast Marines). Either way there is the possibility of being postured for any possibility (combat, humanitarian, AMCIT evacuations etc). Good luck!

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Jan 18 at 2016 5:53 PM

CPT Jack Durish — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 17:53:25 -0500

I had every intention of enlisting in the Navy. I had been a Sea Scout. I was a competitive navigator. I had my Coast Guard Operators License. I had a college degree. What other choice was there. Well, the Navy dragged their feet and I ended up in the Army. (Interestingly, the Navy called four hours after I was sworn into the Army to congratulate me. I had been accepted. Right)

Well, it's easier to look around at the opportunities from the inside. Recruiters are notorious for promising anything, especially when they have a prime candidate champing at the bit to get in.

Let me offer you a test. Ask the recruiter of each branch to show you their listing of MOS's (Military Occupational Specialties). The length and breadth of those lists are indicative of the opportunities. Now those service members (past and present) know where this is going (don't you). The Army listing is as long as the others combined (or approximately so) because the mission of the Army is inclusive of so many more challenges. It may not be the most glamorous branch. Members of the others have good reason to be proud of theirs. But pride isn't what you're looking for, is it. You know that you will serve with pride in any branch of the military. You're looking for opportunities and I've shown you how to measure it.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 18 at 2016 6:08 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 18:08:12 -0500

Leon, as a junior in high school, I decided that helping South Vietnam was a just cause. I did my research and decided on the Marine Corps. Because my parents were both deceased, I was living with my sister, who was against my choice. My friends all thought I was nuts, but I joined after high school with my plan being to make it a career. In Vietnam, I heard that we had landed on the Moon, and I thought that would be a good career. I ended up only serving 4 years, but spent 33 years with the Space Program. Two points to make: 1. Even when you plan things out, life sometimes takes you down a different path. 2. The decision is yours to make.

Please keep us posted on what you decide. Best wishes!

Response by SSgt Robert Jorgensen made Jan 18 at 2016 6:57 PM

SSgt Robert Jorgensen — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 18:57:17 -0500

Leon, first and foremost what nobody has said to you is you must understand that the fine print in all branches states - The needs of the service come first. Unless it is written when you enlist or commission the needs of said branch come first.

You need to ask yourself what do I want to do in the military and when I get out if I don't make a career of it. I was a crew chief at 18 yo, kept an F4 flying, got out and would have to go to school to get a piece of paper saying I could work on an aircraft. (Hint)

Everyone is going to tell you their branch is the best. You need to do your homework fast as time flies and the Army already has the hook set. Next semester they reel you in if you aren't faster. You need to research you choices.

Good Luck with your career!

Response by MSgt Kurt Woodward made Jan 19 at 2016 12:14 AM

MSgt Kurt Woodward — Tue, 19 Jan 2016 00:14:09 -0500

As MSgt Thor Merich, pointed out; in the Air Force there are two types of Engineering Units. The RED HORSE units are some of the first responders when a base of operations has to be established. The other type is PRIME BEEF, which my Father Retired from as an the Electrician Shop Supperintendent. The second type of unit goes into areas that have a basic layout and establish a base of operations. There's also a one of a kind unit that used to be called Bare Base Operations Support, located at Holloman AFB NM. This big unit has all the equipment to establish a small town in a few days. They are often the first ones called upon to provide equipment and personnel in a humanitarian/disaster relief effort. My Father switched from the Air Force to the Army and then 18 months later went back to the Air Force. He was in the Reserves for both branches. But, having had multiple deployments and assignments were it was a multi service, I can tell you that the Air Force definitely takes better care of their service members; both at home and deployed. If you are planning on being an Officer, then you will be mostly managing the enlisted and junior officers below you. If you decide to go enlisted, then you will be a worker then slowly move into a management position as you increase in rank, starting at E-5. Overall, the Air Force Engineering Units see more deployments than a majority of the other types of units in the Air Force. Sorry, that I can'tell remember what the acronyms for the two types of Civil Engineering Units in the Air Force are, but I'm sure that you can Google them. Or another person on here could explain them better to you. Good luck with what ever your decision is.

Response by Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 19 at 2016 1:58 AM

Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 19 Jan 2016 01:58:04 -0500

Thank you to everyone for your responses. They've all helped me put my decision in better perspective and they've all helped me understand which questions I should be asking before I decide on my branch. The hardest part of trying to make a decision like this is knowing which questions to ask before making the leap. So once again thank you to everyone and I should know which i'm joining before the end of the semester.

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 19 at 2016 8:53 AM

TSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 19 Jan 2016 08:53:53 -0500

I started off in the Army; now I am in the Air Force Reserves. I assume that you are looking into being an officer. So here is my two cents from my experience; if you want to lead people and be involved in the workings of your unit then the Air Force is a good option. If you want to be more removed from the action and just direct from a far, the Army is a good choice. Now I was not combat arms so I can not speak from that perspective, but my Army Commanders and Platoon leaders made it a point to avoid the enlisted men as much as possible, for the most of my 6 years in the Army I didn't even know who the Platoon leader was. My Air Force commanders and Maintenance Officers are way more involved with the people they command; they want to build trust. Cant speak to USMC or US Navy.

Response by Maj Kevin "Mac" McLaughlin made Jan 19 at 2016 11:27 AM

Maj Kevin "Mac" McLaughlin — Tue, 19 Jan 2016 11:27:01 -0500

Never discount the Air Force, especially as an engineer. However depending on what kind of engineering, some services might offer better opportunities where as the Air Force could potentially turn you into an acquisitions officer. Still Electrical Engineers in the Air Force have great opportunities of becoming Cyberspace Warfare Officers. This is still a new career field and the units and just starting to get formed, but it is an excellent community which offers more opportunities outside the military when you decide to move on.

I think the bottom line question comes down to what do you want to do in the military? Do you want to fly, spend months on a ship, etc? To better advise you, you need to provide more specifics about what you want to do and you might find that we can offer insights to what all the services, including the Air Force, have to offer. As much as folks on here love to tease the Air Force, in my experience both deployed and back home, we are highly sought after for our intelligence, maturity, and technical skills.

Response by PO1 Scott Cottrell made Jan 19 at 2016 4:21 PM

PO1 Scott Cottrell — Tue, 19 Jan 2016 16:21:21 -0500

First off I'm retired enlisted Navy (Desert Shield/Storm Vet). My father retired from the Navy Reserve as an O-6 with 12 years of active duty (Nam Vet) and 16 years reserve duty, and 25 years at Northrop Grumman as an Electrical Engineer working mostly on Navy combat systems. When I was enlisting and choosing the branch of service, he asked me only one question "You are in a War, where would you rather be? In a foxhole with bullets and bombs going off (Army, Marines, and even Air Force and Navy Seabees)? Or on that big steal ship? Granted if that ship gets hit, you mite have to swim." He also told me what my grandfather (Enlisted Army during D-day invasion) told him before he joined "I don't care what you do with your life, But don't join the F*cking Army!" The Army is very different today (I am now an Army contractor), so I don't think it is nearly as bad as when my grandfather was in.

Response by CDR Michael Goldschmidt made Jan 19 at 2016 5:58 PM

CDR Michael Goldschmidt — Tue, 19 Jan 2016 17:58:33 -0500

The Navy's mission is basically the same in both peacetime and wartime, so we deploy a lot. With the Marines, the Navy is also the only service which is to be maintained, not raised, according to the Constitution. That said, get the best deal you can. It all boils down to opportunity and what you wish to do.

Response by Maj Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 20 at 2016 7:25 PM

Maj Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 20 Jan 2016 19:25:58 -0500

Depends of the type of engineer you are. Aeronautical then go Air Force.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Jan 22 at 2016 12:28 AM

PO1 John Miller — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 00:28:55 -0500

Navy.

Response by Sgt Joe LaBranche made Jan 25 at 2016 5:40 PM

Sgt Joe LaBranche — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 17:40:04 -0500

What is your objective for joining the military? My personal opinion, as far as combat and humanitarian missions are concerned, would be the Marines. Advancement depends on your performance, how well you master your MOS, your commanding officers, and a number of other criteria. Again, my opinion, the Marines are the most disciplined. If your enjoy water, go Navy. You can't go wrong with the Army. I believe the Army offers a better selection of MOS that are beneficial to obtaining employment Post-Military. I would suggest you talk to all three, take their tests and see what each branch has to offer prior to selecting one. See who offers you the best deal.

Response by PO2 Peter Wells made Jan 28 at 2016 1:20 AM

PO2 Peter Wells — Thu, 28 Jan 2016 01:20:53 -0500

If I were going to be an Engineering Officer and had it all to do over again... Navy Seabees.

But it's really half a dozen of one and 6 of the other. Figured out where you'll be stuck when you're stateside and decide if you can live with that.

Response by PO2 Donald Walsh made Apr 27 at 2017 9:57 PM

PO2 Donald Walsh — Thu, 27 Apr 2017 21:57:13 -0400

US Navy or Air Force= 3 hot meals a day, 4 if you count midrations. A soft bed to sleep in every night and you don't really have to worry about a bullet or IED with your name on it. On the other hand if you are a risk taker who likes to camp in tents and eat cold prepackaged food, go Army or Marines. That's the basic thought process. All the forces have Specialties that can become lifelong careers in or out of the service. Do very careful resrarch with post service career goals strongly in mind.

Response by Damien Maxwell made Oct 12 at 2017 11:41 AM

Damien Maxwell — Thu, 12 Oct 2017 11:41:05 -0400

Try the navy I did NJROTC my freshman year and my instructor was a engineer on a sub. If you like water and tight spaces then that is an option. I personally want to join the army or airforce

Response by Cpl Christopher Keown made Mar 25 at 2018 1:45 PM

Cpl Christopher Keown — Sun, 25 Mar 2018 13:45:18 -0400

Marine Corps is the only answer to your question without a doubt. 0311!

Response by PO1 Richard Nyberg made Aug 24 at 2018 4:06 PM

PO1 Richard Nyberg — Fri, 24 Aug 2018 16:06:35 -0400

I think their equally good, but its up to you to check them all out and see which one has the most to offer you with your education. I joined the Army first because I was an Army Brat living in Germany so I was around the Army most of my life. I just followed in my Dad's footsteps and back in 1966 when I enlisted I knew I was going to Vietnam. I hope you will really take the time to check them all out and find the one that's a good fit for you and not them. Good luck in your future.